The present invention relates generally to the field of treating objects containing materials and, more particularly, to the use of an energy beam from an energy beam source, such as a laser, to treat specific areas of such materials, such as specific areas of metal, oxidized metal, as well as non-metal such as optic components, glass, and plastic materials.
Lasers have been used for many purposes over the years. For example, lasers have been used for treating metal, such as metal cutting, metal welding, and the like. During such laser use, significant problems are encountered and need to be addressed. For example, undesirable reactions between the treating environment or atmosphere and the area to be treated must be limited, preferably prevented, without reducing the treating efficiency. Such undesirable reactions are due, in part, to the non-reduced or oxidized state of the materials to be treated and related metal oxide contamination. Thus, new and improved processes for using an energy beam from an energy beam source, such as a laser, or other device, to treat, and preferably reduce or join specific areas of materials contained on or in various objects, such as specific areas of metal and oxidized metal, which help limit, and preferably prevent, undesirable reactions between the treating environment and the specific areas to be treated without limiting the treating efficiency would be of significant contribution to the art and to the economy. In addition, new and improved processes for using an energy beam from an energy beam source, such as a laser, or other device, to treat specific areas of materials contained on or in various objects, such as specific areas of non-metal including ceramics and optic components, which help limit, and preferably prevent, undesirable reactions between the treating environment and the specific areas to be treated without limiting the treating efficiency would also be of significant contribution to the art and to the economy.
In accordance with the present invention, methods and apparatus are disclosed for treating specific areas of metal, oxidized metal, non-metal, and the like and combinations thereof contained on or in various objects with an energy beam, preferably a focused energy beam, more preferably a focused and filtered energy beam, from an energy beam source, such as a laser or electron beam generator, preferably in the presence of a controlled gas atmosphere.
One aspect of the present invention is a method of treating specific areas of an object, the method comprising: (a) exposing an object to a controlled gas atmosphere, such object comprising a material selected from the group consisting of metal, oxidized metal, non-metal, dielectric material, powdered glass, glass precursors, and the like and combinations thereof, and (b) during at least a portion of time during the exposing, subjecting a specific area of the material to an energy beam, preferably a focused energy beam, more preferably a focused and filtered energy beam, having sufficient energy intensity to provide treating of the specific area. Examples of treating include, but are not limited to, heating, welding, cutting, dicing, soldering, singulating, reducing, oxidizing, fusing, melting, and the like and combinations thereof. Preferably, the energy beam source comprises a laser or an electron beam generator.
Another aspect of the present invention is a method of heating specific areas of an object, the method comprising: (a) exposing an object to a controlled gas atmosphere, such object comprising a material selected from the group consisting of metal, oxidized metal, non-metal, dielectric material, powdered glass, glass precursors, and the like and combinations thereof, and (b) during at least a portion of time during the exposing, subjecting a specific area of the material to an energy beam, preferably a focused energy beam, more preferably a focused and filtered energy beam, having sufficient intensity to provide heating of the specific area. The method can further comprise contacting the material with one or more second materials, which can be similar or dissimilar to the material. Examples of suitable contacting include, but are not limited to, welding, soldering, fusing, melting, joining, bonding, and the like and combinations thereof.
A method of the present invention can be used for directly welding one or more components and/or component leads to metallic surfaces within a controlled gas atmosphere such as a typical welding gas atmosphere. A preferred method of the present invention is direct welding of similar or dissimilar materials within a controlled gas atmosphere, preferably a reducing gas atmosphere.
Examples of suitable methods of the present invention include, but are not limited to, welding, soldering, fusing, melting, joining, bonding, and the like and combinations thereof of electronic components to circuit boards;
welding, soldering, fusing, melting, joining, bonding, and the like and combinations thereof of non-metallic conducting elements, such as non-metallic superconductors, to circuit boards;
welding, soldering, fusing, melting, joining, bonding, and the like and combinations thereof involving metallic or non-metallic conductor xe2x80x9cpastesxe2x80x9d that may also be used in soldering as well as in other applications;
metallic and non-metallic bonding applications involving optic component fabrication and bonding of such components to each other and bonding the finished components onto conventional and non-conventional circuit boards;
fabricating optical type pathways (or transparent xe2x80x9clinesxe2x80x9d) onto or into substrates, coatings, circuit boards and the like, initially coated with opaque or translucent material(s);
and the like and combinations thereof.
Methods and apparatus of the present invention have potential applications in selectively reducing metal oxide contamination on metallic surfaces prior to, and/or during, welding, soldering, fusing, melting, joining, bonding, and the like and combinations thereof, in direct and selective soldering of devices to circuit boards or other substrate surfaces, and in direct welding of selected devices to circuit boards or other substrate surfaces. An advantage in the use of the methods and apparatus of the present invention is the ability to rapidly and selectively treat only portions of a large object instead of the entire object.
Another aspect of the present invention is an apparatus for treating specific areas of an object. The apparatus generally comprises an energy beam source that provides an energy beam, a means for focusing the energy beam, a means for filtering the energy beam, a means for supporting and moving the energy beam source, and a means for exposing the object, comprising a material, to a controlled gas atmosphere, and for subjecting a specific area of such material to the energy beam, preferably to the focused energy beam, and more preferably to the focused and filtered energy beam. The apparatus can further comprise a means for controlling the energy beam source, a means for controlling the object, and a means for moving the energy beam. The apparatus provides for either selectively applying a controlled gas atmosphere xe2x80x9clocallyxe2x80x9d at the treated site location or xe2x80x9cgloballyxe2x80x9d applying a controlled gas atmosphere over the entire treated object during a process of the present invention. Preferably, the energy beam source comprises a laser or an electron beam generator.